Did anyone else lose their appetite when quitting?
 

Hi guys,

Just wondering if anyone else lost their appetite when they quit drinking?
Today is day 20 and I still have not felt hungry, I am eating really healthy food and taking supplements in an effort to help heal my anxiety through nutrition, but I haven't been hungry once. Maybe the anxiety is causing the appetite loss?
I would love to hear your experiences

:ring

I had more of an appetite loss whilst drinking, but I was really bad at the end. My appetite returned with a vengeance once I became well. Having said that, it does disappear, even now, from time to time, especially when I am really stressed. If you have anxiety, I think it could well be the cause. Just wait for it to return and take the supplements. Perhaps your doctor could advise you x

Definitly not eating as much, those late night snacks etc have all gone out the window, it's a hot cup of green tea and then bed most nights!

Though I do find I'm not skipping any meals throughout the day, I used to do that all the time, so I guess it all balances out. :)

Thanks KateL, I see my Dr tomorrow, i'll talk to her about it. I have always loved my food so its a very different experience for me

:dunno

I had no real appetite and I still don't. It seems like it takes a long time for me to want something to eat. My tummy growls but my mouth does not want it and then when it does, it wants junk food and chocolate.

I have learned slowly that if I don't have those choices around I can't eat them so I buy healthier options these days.

I still can't do without chocolate at least once a day though..lol

Purpleknight I used to be a big late night snacker while drinking as well. I'm not missing that part of it though, the weight loss has been great lol.

Hi, Ange and others -- Yes, this has been an issue for me, though I'm inclined to think it is less about appetite, per se, than it is about rebuilding healthy habits as the bad ones recede further into the past. (I'm just shy of four months sober.)

In the bad old days (well, years), what constituted a meal, particularly at night, was pretty pathetic for me. A cheese stick, for example. Sometimes nothing. Or, on the occasional flip side, most of a frozen pizza. To make matters worse, cooking is a bit of a trigger for me -- there was always plenty of wine in the kitchen when I was doing the Martha Stewart thing. Unfortunately, I was getting more than enough calories from alcohol and now find I've got some weight to lose ... 30 pounds for sure. Ugh. But it's coming off, slowly, due to healthier eating and exercise. (I was reunited with a pair of jeans that hadn't fit for a looonnggg time a couple weeks back -- yay!)

The "light bulb" moment for me was when I put two and two together as it related to sleep. I was going to bed hungry, minus the alcohol that previously allowed me sleep (poor as it was). I'm still retraining my brain to eat healthy at night, but it's coming around. Usually, a sandwich or WW frozen dinner, plus yogurt and fruit. And, wouldn't you know, sleep is slowly getting better.

One last thing: don't forget to start the day with a healthy breakfast. A bowl of oatmeal and some grapefruit juice is mandatory for me.

Take care! We're in this together.

I wish!

I definitely eat less junk when I'm not drinking.

Yeah when I gave up drinking I stopped eating as much but its hard due to I have eating disorder. I eat when I finishing drink. When I don't drink I don't eat.

sry not much of an answer for you.

Hope ur doing well and looks like 20days is doing great xx

thanks everyone,
Gracielou,- that's exactly what happens to me my tummy growls and makes the weirdest noises( my kids think its hilarious) and still I don't get hungry.

Venecia -that makes perfect sense. I was always a big eater when drunk so Its just odd to not feel hungry, and well done on nearly 4 months that's awesome!

lol Gilmer

Balinchane- definitely easier to make healthy choices sober

Erratic- 21 days strong today, though I had my first urge to drink yesterday when my 2 older children started fighting in the shopping centre, my AV shouted WINE but I breathed through it and told it to shut up I don't do that anymore!

Every time I quit I'm like an hungry bear. I was a beer guy, that always filled me up and could barely have any dinner. I don't grave junk. Proteins seem to be the rule for me.

Opposite for me too...I had no appetite towards the end of my drinking. Got it back fairly soon after quitting.

I didn't lose appetite but failed to adjust calorie intake. Be careful with this because I lost too much weight and my energy was very, very low. A doctor was concerned enough to set up several tests like chest X-rays, etc.,. It was really just not enough food being consumed to compensate for the sudden drop in calories. A bottle of red wine and a few pints of ale every night, while inefficient and toxic is so many ways, was still many calories disappearing. Good riddance to those!

I cant seem to stop eating since i quit the booze!! And i have replaced my nightly glasses of wine with hot chocolate and marshmallows!! Oh the calories! I am going to wait a bit before trying to diet though. I'd like to be sober for awhile longer before attempting any other life altering commitments.

I eat more but don't pig out on junk like I did when I was drinking. I struggled with anxiety quite a bit and that killed my appetite for a few weeks but I've gotten to the bottom of that and now I am eating normally. It's been 3 months.

I am also the opposite. I ate so poorly over the last few years I am craving food more than alcohol. i was craving food before I quit, but I couldn't eat well and drink so I am fine with eating all the time now :) Not gonna lie tho, I eat too much now, but I couldn't care less about replacing 1000 calories worth of beer every night with how ever many calories I intake now a night.

Yeah i'm thinking my anxiety might have a lot to do with it.

I'm probably eating close to double now sober than what I ate while I was drinking... And I haven't really gained any weight at all. Just different kinds of calories I guess...